They say water tankers supplied by the eThekwini Municipality do not meet their needs and they often go without water for days. The main water treatment plant was destroyed by the floods. The R31 million construction project to rebuild the plant started in mid-July and the municipality says it will take four months to complete.
Businesses and taxis heeded the protestors’ call for a shutdown and schools were also closed. Community members opted to take their grievances over days without water, to the streets, burning tyres and tree logs that ensured the busiest roads were blocked.
#sabcnews #sabckzn Community of Hambanathi in oThongathi area is protesting calling for government to provide them with water. They say they have endured over seven days without water. They have burnt Jojo tanks as well saying they were not serving them. pic.twitter.com/gIBIbf07vo
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) August 25, 2022
oThongathi Civic Association spokesperson Charles Chetty voices people’s frustrations.
“As you see these Jojo tanks have been burnt for one simple reason. They’re just left there. Unattended, not serviced. We very rarely see water in the Jojos. So therefore the community is saying enough is enough. Today we are asking national government, we are asking the the minister if he doesn’t come and address the concerns of the residents of Tongaat we’re not going back home. We are going to stay on the streets.”
Resident Sikhumbuzo Mthembu says his daughter and grandchild were hospitalised due to waterborne diseases. He says the two were only discharged from hospital on Wednesday. He was among the elderly residents who took part in the protest calling on government to provide them with water.
“There’s a kid who already died. He fell into a bucket, he passed away. There are ladies who got themselves hurt because they were running for water. Now its really bad. It means our government is totally failing. Because these Jojo tanks are placed, they are not getting filled up with water. That is why people are angry, burning these Jojos, because they are useless to them.”
Niresh Kooblal says while residents go to fetch water from the tankers and storage tanks, criminals use the opportunity to steal water meters and copper pipes at their homes.
“A few months ago, just after the damage to our property regarding the water, the water meter outside my yard was stolen. Then rogues came into my yard, stole all the copper pipes that supply water to us. At the moment I don’t have a single pipe in my house. I just have to rake up finds for it to reinstall the pipes. Not only me, there’s many other people just as well who have the same issue. As for the water meter, almost all the houses in Glen Robanlall has been stolen.”
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance MEC Sihle Zikalala and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda had a brief meeting with the protesting community.
Coughing from the acrid smoke of burnt plastic water storage tanks, Zikalala has said additional water tankers will be arranged to service the community.
“And they’ve not been updated on what is happening. We’ve agreed that we will come back with the minister, we will come back with the minister. Possibly during the weekend. We are looking toward Sunday. If the minister is available earlier, we will be happy with that and take that.”
#sabcnews #sabckzn KZN Cogta MEC Sihle Zikalala has addressed the protesting community of oThongathi. Government has committed to increasing water tankers supplying water to the communities. pic.twitter.com/ZxrKzu0pLI
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) August 25, 2022
The community dispersed after their meeting with government. They however said they will resume the protests if the latest promises are not fulfilled.
